Christian Achter from the ADAC emergency service has been driving around Berlin in his little yellow "pill" since six o'clock. He has already given a free "jump-start" to forty-three cars. "The last time we had such weather was in 1906," Christian jokes. "But back then there was no need for my work – all one and a half thousand Berlin cars stayed in parking lots. Now an alarm signal comes to our dispatch center every 5 seconds. Modern enthusiasts are completely helpless! At -10 they run down their batteries and then don't know how to revive the engines of their Volkswagens or Opels."
Long before dawn yesterday, Vienna's medical staff was also on their feet. Here they are shocked by the "monstrous", as the Austrian press puts it, number of people frozen to death in Russia and Poland. Austria is doing everything to avoid even the slightest losses.
Clergy in many EU countries have not only addressed their parishioners with sermons about mercy and compassion for the homeless. For those who, even in these affluent states, prefer to live without a roof over their heads, charitable church societies are preparing additional sleeping places in shelters. And in Frankfurt an der Oder, where the cold wave arrived first, at -20 members of the Green party and enthusiasts from the animal protection society rushed to save swans and wild ducks. After all, there was almost no place left for them in the inexorably freezing river.
According to Swiss authorities' forecasts, the "gift from Siberia" will not bring major losses, let alone catastrophes. Here, as in Germany and Austria, the level of technical equipment is quite high. And most importantly, the combat readiness of rescue services is maintained not only by regular exercises, but also by constant, demanding attention from the public. After all, any mistake by emergency services in countries where human life is highly valued is then discussed for months.
However, isolated casualties and increased costs for normal life support cannot be avoided. This is constantly reminded on television screens. But – without hysteria and excessive tragedy. Reports of a much more optimistic nature prevail: rosy-cheeked children around snowmen, smiling pensioners on skis, vigilant traffic police on the autobahns.
"Unpleasant weather surprises are inevitable. But in a normal society there will always be something to counter them." This brand-new poster above the entrance to one of the just-opened homeless shelters in Berlin is complemented by a field kitchen provided by the Bundeswehr for the period of frost. From early morning, free hot coffee is distributed here.